Councillor Dora declares her innocence in ‘questionable payments’
DORA HUAPII IROFIA – the Councillor whose company was at the centre of alleged questionable payments by the Honiara City Council – has denied any wrong doing, declaring her innocence.
Cr. Irofia is the member for Cruz Ward in the Honiara City Council.
She was the focus of an unqualified audit report in 2020, which accused her of collecting nearly $1 million in payments for items of furniture, stationery, minor office equipment which she supplied to the Honiara City Council under contract.
Cr. Irofia denied there was wrongdoing in her business, which she said was approved by the Leadership Code Commission on 19th November 2019. The permission lapsed in February this year.
In an exclusive interview with Solomon Star last night, Cr. Irofia produced a copy of the LCC letter, titled Permission for a Leader’s Private Business to hold a Government (HCC) Contract in support of her claim of innocence.
Solomon Star has obtained a copy of the letter, addressed to Cr. Irofia
“Be informed that the Commission at its 73rd Meeting today consider your application filed in Form LC:3 and granted your request for Dods General Services (BN20140191) to hold a government contract for the supply of cleaning detergents, stationery, furniture and general office goods to Honiara City Council for a period of one year,” the letter said.
“The Commission further advises as follows as long as you remain a leader:
- This permission applies only to the contract described above. It cannot be transferred to any other businesses that you may have. It terminates with the contract;
- That you must inform the Commission in writing if the contract is extended and or renewed on the same terms and conditions;
- That you must disclose any income or other benefits that you or your dependents received from this business when filing your next statements of declaration which will (be) due in 2021;
- That you must inform us in writing when your interests in this business permanently ceases
The LCC also advised Cr Irofia that it reserves the right to revoke the permission if it later received information from any source that her association with the business breached or was likely to breach the Leadership Code.
Cr. Irofia was commended by the Commission “for complying with your statutory duty under the Leadership Code.” The letter was signed by a Solomon Kalu as Chairman of the meeting.
“This is the certificate of my innocence for the business I was involved in. I declared all my business interests,” Cr. Irofia said.
The Councillor also explained questions relating to payments of cheques, which according to the “unqualified audit report” DOD General Supplies received in the first quarter of 2020.
Total payments made were $935, 460, according to the report, But she said what the report failed to mention is the fact that some of these payments were outstanding from 2019.
“As well, some payments lumped in the report were Ward Grants and not necessarily for DOD General Supplies. People have got to understand that when we come into to hold public offices, there are boundaries we cannot cross,” Cr. Irofia said.
By ALFRED SASAKO
Newsroom, Honiara
